Humidifying device for use with internal-combustion engines



June 7, 1927. v 1,631,308

A. J. COPPOCK HUMIDIFYING DEVICE FOR USE WITH INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Original Filed Jan. 25,. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l Q INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

June 7, 1927. 1,631,308

A. J. COPPOCK HUMIDIFYING DEVICE FOR USE- WITH INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Original Filed Jan. 25, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "Illllll INVENTOR. fl/zd/erffgwd ATTORNEY.

Patented June 7, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

ANDREW J. 0022003, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

' HUMIDIFYING imvrcn Fon nsE'wIT-H INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed January 25, 1924, Serial No. 688,365. Renewed Apri1'15, 1927'.

' This invention relates to charge forming devices for internal combustion engines and the object of the invention is to provide a means for adding liquid fuel, moisture or hot or cold air to the charge passing into the engine. Another object 'of the invention is to provide a' device which may be adjusted to provide a complete charge for the internal combustion engine independently of the usual carburetor. This device was developed'in order that the different adjustments of the fuel charge might be made from the drivers seat, for instance on very hot days the addition of moisture to the charge has a very beneficial result in increasing the power of the engine and also in the reduction of carbon deposit within the engine cylinders and in fact the additionbf moisture is benecial at all times except during very wet weather when moisture is then carried in the air. In hot weather the air supply may also be increased with this device to produce better operation of the engine and reduce'the fuelconsumption and in cold weather the addition of hot air or the increase of liquid fuel by this device willproduce a more even operation of the engine and is particularly valuable before the engine has become warm.

A further object of the invention is to provide a charge forming device in which thewater for cooling the engine may be utilized for introducing moisture into the fuelcharge and the device is so arranged that the water is broken up and vaporized before belng m xed with the charge. Another ob ect of the invention is to provide a charge forming device controlled from the drivers seat of an automobile which may be used in case of accident to the usual carburetor to provide the liquid fuel charge for the e11gine,the addition of'moist-ure or-hot or cold air be ing optional with the driver. These objects and'the several novel features of the inven-.

tion are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and the preferred form of construction by WlllCll these ob]ects are attalned is shown in the accompanying drawings in,

whichi Fig.- 1 is a side view of an automobile- Fig. 3 is a section taken=-on'line,33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4;sh0ws the means ofconnecting the device into the fuel line.

As shown'in Fig. 1 a plate 1 is secured to the instrument board 2of an. automobile and a member. 3 is'supported on the plate 1.

This member 3 is provided with an apertured 5 is out of registrationwith the aperture 7.

The member 6 is provided. with a semi-circular slot 8 and a pin 9 is secured in the member .4 and limits turning of the member 6. The aperture 7 opens into a chamber 10 in the member 3 and the chamber 10 is closed at one endby a needle valve 11 which is con-- trolled by a knurled knob 12 on the plate 1.

' At the opposite end the chamber 10 is closed by .a-needle valve 13 which is controlled by a knurled ,knob 14 mounted on the plate 1. Opening from the chamber 10 is a member 15 which is in communication with the conduit 16 and this conduit- 16 is connected to a T union 17= which opens into a member 18. The member 18 is threaded at the end 19 and is adapted to be threaded into the'intake manifold ,of the internal combustion engine as shown in Fig. l and is provided with apertures 20 which open to the interior of the member 18 and the member 18 is provvicledwith a screen 21 'to prevent dirt or foreign matter from passing into the intake manifold.

A conduit 22 is connected to the T union I 17 and passes through the exhaust manifold of the internal combust onengine as shown in Fig. 1 and 1s connected with one end of the valve 23 shown more particularly in Fig. 3. This valveis controlled by a knob 24- which is positioned behind the instrument board of the automobile and the member 15 which is threaded into the .opposite side of the valve is provided with anaperture 25 registering with an aperture 26 in the valve body, the member 15 being provided with a blind pocket 27. A conduit 28 is'connected to the needle valve 11 and at tl1e-,.opposite end is connected to amember 29 .whichis threaded into thewater jacket of the engine, the member 29 being provided withsa screen 30 to prevent rust, scale or foreign matter from passing through the member 33 is connectedin the fuel feed line and the liquid fuel passes through the line 3%, member 33, check valve 35 and through the line 36 to the vacuum tank or carburetor, the check valve allowing flow in this direction but preventing flow in the opposite direction.

In operation, the carburetor and intake manifold are used in the usual manner and the needle valve 11 is opened by means of the knob 12 to allow a slight flow ofwater therethrough into the chamber 10. 'As the member 18 opens into the intake manifold a vacuum is drawn on the conduit 16, chamber 10, and aperture 7 and this vacuum draws the water through the needle valve 11 in the form of a fine spray. Due to the vacuum produced in the conduit 16 and chamber 10 the opening of any of the valves causes the corresponding fluid to be drawn into the in take manifold as will be readily understood and very beneficialresults will be had if the valve 11 is left open to allow a slight quantity of moisture to be drawn through the conduit 16 and thus add moisture to the charge in the intake manifold. When'the motor becomes heated fromcontinuous operation the member 6 may be turned to partially open the aperture 5 thus allowing air to flow in through the aperture7, chamber 10 and conduit 16 to the intake manifold, the quantity of air thus flowing in being regulated by turning the member 6. By opening the valve 13 liquid fuel may flow from the line 3% through the member 33 and line 31 and through the valve 13 and chamber 10 and thence through the member 15 and conduit 16 into the intake manifold. The liquid fuel being drawn into the chamber 10 in the form of a spray through the needle valve '13. The amount of liquid fuel thus flowing into the intake manifold may be regulated by the knob 14 and is used to provide a richer mixture for cold weather use or for operating the engine before it becomes warmed up. A vacuum is also produced in the conduit 22 and when the valve 23 is closed, as shown in Fig. 3, there is no flow through the conduit 22. When the valve 23 is opened by means of a knob 24: positioned behind the instrument board, air may flow in through the apertures 25 and 26 and through the valve 23 into the conduit 22 and as the conduit 22 passes through the exhaust manifold the air is heated thereby. The air in the conduit 22 is thus heated before passing into the intake manifold which aids in the vaporization of the liquid fuel passing into the engine. l/Vhen the valve 13 is-opened liquid fuel will be drawn'from the line 34; and through the conduit 31 and any reason the carburetor should get out of order the valves 13, 11, 23 and 6 may be adjusted by the driver so that the liquid fuel is mixed with hot or cold air and moisture and passes into the intake manifold thus providing a complete charge. forming devicev which in emergencies may take the place of the usual carburetor and the entire operation of the engine maybe thus c0ntrolled from the drivers seat.

Before the engine is startedthere is no vacuum produced in thedifferent conduits and for this reason the engine will start on the usual fuel charge provided by the carburetor before sufiicient vacuum is produced to draw the corresponding fluid through the different conduits. Thus it will be readily seen, that this device will not interfere with the starting of the engine but will take effect immediately after the engine is started.

This device may also be used to prevent theft of the automobile. When the driver leaves the automobile he opens the valve 11 to its fullest extent by means of the knob 12 and should the engine'be started by some unauthorized person water will be drawn through the various conduits in suficient quantities to stop the engine but if the engine is not started with the valve 11 open the driver on his return to the automobile may close the valve and thus start the engine in the usual manner. 7 3

1V hile I have shown the member 18 as opening into the. intake manifold of i the engine this member may open into the air intake conduit of the engine at any point between the spray nozzle of the carburetor and the intake ports of the cylinders. A separate fuel feed line may be used in place of conduit 31 which opens at one end into the usual liquid fuel tank for the engine and at the opposite end opens to the valve 13. With this construction when the valve 13 opens the liquid fuel will be drawn directly from the tank to the chamber 10 and from the chamber 10 into the engine, this type of feed line being entirely independent of the usual supply line for the carburetor and eliminating the necessity of the use of a check valve.

From the foregoing description it becomes evident that the device may be regulated to compensate for different atmospheric conditions and may also be regulated to produce the most efficient operation of the motor under any condition and provides a device which accomplishes the objects described.

- Having thus fully described my invention, its utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. A humidifying device for use in an internal combustion engine comprising the combination With the engine having an intake manifold and a Water space, of a plate, a main conduit adjacent the plate and three valve members therefor manually operable from the side of the plate opposite the conduit, the said valves being in alignment and the center valve member providing an air inlet, a fuel conduit controlled by one of the end valves, a Water conduit controlled by the other end Valve, the said Water conduit being open to the Water space of the engine, and a discharge conduit opening to the intake manifold of the engine through which fluid passing any of the valves directly discharges.

2. A humidifying device for use in an internal combustion engine comprising in combination With an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold and a Water space, of a main conduit, an air intake conduit opening on one side thereof, a valve for controlling the air inlet of said air conduit, a valve at one side of the air inlet, a fuel conduit opening to the said main conduit through the said valve, a valve on the opposite side of the air inlet, a Water conduit opening to the main conduit through the said second valve, said Water conduit be ing open to the Water space of the engine, an outlet line for the main conduit discharging to the intake manifold, and a second air inlet conduit extending through the exhaust manifold and discharging to the intake manifold, and a valve for controlling flow therethrough. Y

3. A humidifying device for internal combustion engines, comprising the combination with the engine having intake and exhaust manifolds and a Water space, of a main conduit, an air intake conduit opening on one side thereof, a valve for controlling flow of air therethrough, a valve at one side of theat. A device of the character described comprising the combination With an internal combustion engine having intake and exhaust manifold therefor and a Water space about the cylinders thereof, of a main conduit, a fuel supply line leading thereto, a valve controlling flow from the fuel line into the main conduit, a Water supply line opening at one end to the Water space of the engine and discharging to the main conduit, a valve controlling the fioW of Water therethrough, an air inlet to the said main conduit, a valve controlling the same, a discharge line for the main conduit opening to the manifold, the

flow through the fuel and Water lines passing into the air stream from the air inlet to the discharge line for the main conduit, and an independent air conduit opening to atmosphere at one end and continuing through the exhaust manifold and discharging to the intake manifold in common With the said discharge line for the main conduit.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

ANDREW J. COPPOGK. 

